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Friday, 31 May 2013

Blurb

Five years ago, vampires came out of hiding and took over the world. It was meant to be a quick enslavement but it turned into a bloody battle that brought humanity to the brink of extinction.

Isabelle Bryant is one of the "lucky" survivors, now living in hiding, scavenging for food through deserted towns.

And she’s tired of it.

So she’s devised a plan: find the king of the vampires and drive a stake through his heart.

Except that wickedly sensual king Marcus is nothing like the monster she expected. And while landing on his bed was part of the plan all along, discovering that he might hold the key to humanity’s survival certainly wasn’t. The catch? Saving humanity also means ensuring vampire survival. It means giving up hope for a return to a human-ruled world.

As sparks fly and hate becomes heat, Isabelle must pick a side -- before the darkness devours them all.

Wednesday, 29 May 2013

*Horse
Charmer is on sale for $.99 (ebook) to celebrate the two year anniversary*

Blurb

A gifted princess. A special horse.
A quest for the truth.

At sixteen years old, Cassia would rather spend her days in the royal stables
than in the royal court. But as the eldest child of King Robet and Queen
Sarahann she obediently performs her duties as the Princess of Karah.

Her safe world changes forever when her father is murdered in the neighboring
kingdom of Vespera. Cassia grapples with his loss as her mother prepares her
for her new role as queen. Her first task - she must travel to Vespera to marry
a prince she barely knows to fulfill the treaty her father signed just before
his death.

Nothing is as simple as it seems with political intrigues and unusual powers
shadowing Cassia on her search to find out who killed her father and why.

Author Info

Angelia
Almos' love affair with horses began when she was five years old and talked her
parents into her first riding lesson. Horses have always been a huge part of
her life. The initial idea behind Horse Charmer came to her when she was
fourteen. The image of a teenage girl riding her horse through a meadow
appeared. Who was this girl? Where was she going? What was she running from?
Those questions led to the creation of Horse Charmer.

Interview with the author

Tell us about your story- What was your inspiration for this story? When I was around fourteen I had this sudden visual of a girl riding a horse without any tack through a meadow with tall grass. I wanted to know where she was going, where she had been, and why. That was the start of HORSE CHARMER for me.

About how long did it take you to write the story? I think HORSE CHARMER took me the longest to write in probably every way possible. I attempted to write it numerous times as a teenager. I then tackled it fresh when I was in a writing class in my early twenties. I finished the first draft in the class. Then did several rewrites over a couple of years as I got lots of advice and feedback. Finally, I felt it was as ready as it could be. So, it was a very long process for HORSE CHARMER to finally be released.

Tell us a little bit about you as a writer-

If you’re ever stuck for an idea, how do you go about finding inspiration? I actually took a class on writing inspiration. It was a screenwriting class through UCLA. :-) I got some great tips. The biggest thing is to watch really good and really bad movies in the genre you want to write in. It's amazing the ideas that can pop up from doing both. I think it also applies to books. I very rarely get ideas from real life though I have a lot of writer friends who do. Generally speaking, I haven't had the problem of not having an idea, my problem is having too many ideas and not knowing which one I should pursue.

Did you always want to be a writer? Yes and no. I started writing books in my teens, but it wasn't until I was older that I wanted to have a career as a writer. My original career goal was to be a professional horse trainer and rider.

What’s the first thing you can remember writing?(it doesn’t have to be published) Fan fic. I read a lot of it and tried my hand as some Star Trek, Babylon 5, and Star Wars fan fic. Though I don't think I ever posted any of my stories.

Tell us a little bit about you as a person-

How do you spend your time when you’re not writing? I'm a full time homeschooling mom. My life mostly revolves around my kids and their schedules. Though I am also a TV, movie, and book addict. Wherever I can devour stories.

What’s the best way for you to unwind if you’ve had a hard day? Crawl in bed and watch some comfort TV like Murder, She Wrote.

What was the last thing you watched? Movie – Just saw the new Star Trek movie which was great. I loved how they took stuff from the original and twisted it and put in the little jokes that only Trekkies get. Kiddos have Scooby Doo on as I'm answering these questions. I think it's the new series on Cartoon Network.

If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go, and why? I have always wanted to visit Ireland. I'm now sure why. It is just a place I've wanted to go since I was a little girl. One day, I will go and ride a horse across the Irish countryside.

Friday, 24 May 2013

When his sister is sexually assaulted, memories of his miserable childhood haunt Reed Walker and interfere with his perfectly structured life. To add to the chaos, just when dating becomes the last thing on Reed’s mind, Sophia Eschell, the very woman he’s been dreaming about for the past three years, barrels into his life.

AND A WOMAN TO HEAL HIM...

After hooking up with too many troubled men, Sophia is determined to find a normal, average guy sans baggage. She turns her attention to Reed, only to discover he has more issues than anyone. But if he can learn to open up to her, can she honestly reject him or will she kiss it all better?

Author Info

Linda grew up on a dairy farm in the Midwest as the youngest of eight children. Now she lives in Kansas with her husband, toddler daughter, and their nine cuckoo clocks. She works a day job in the acquisitions department of a university library and feels her life has been blessed with lots of people to learn from and love. Writing's always been a major part her world, and she's thrilled to finally share some of her stories with other romance lovers.

Wednesday, 15 May 2013

Blurb

Food writer Maggie Marrion is just getting back on her feet after a horrible year, or two, or three. With their twentieth reunion approaching, she invites four of her closest friends from college for a weekend at her beach cabin. What she doesn’t expect is her best friends, artist Quinn Dayton and part-time erotica novelist, Selah Elmore, to play matchmaker. The two plot a surprise that will make the weekend, and her life, a lot more interesting.

Gil Morrow, former grunge musician turned history professor, joins them as Selah’s date for the weekend. After coming face to face with the one who got away, he decides he's waited long enough to get the girl. With the support of old friends, a few wishing rocks, the world’s largest burrowing clam, and a hot lumberjack thrown into the mix, Gil reminds Maggie that forty-something isn’t too old for second chances.

Can we learn to love the life we have and let go of who we expected to be? What happens when the generation from The Breakfast Club and Reality Bites meets The Big Chill? Come spend a weekend with these Generation X-ers as they share laughter, tears, life’s ups and downs, old stories, and new beginnings.

Excerpt

"We’ll see how the night goes."

"Is that a challenge, Maggie May?" Gil leans forward and catches her eye, then puts his hand on her leg above her knee, and squeezes.

The heat of his hand warms her and her muscles clench.

"Maybe."

Gil licks the corner of his mouth. "Good to know." Leaning back, he keeps his hand on her thigh.

Mentally, Maggie fans herself. The fire in front of her isn’t the only one she’s playing with tonight.

Quinn and Ryan eventually make their way out to join the group on the beach, carrying the s’mores supplies along with metal skewers from the kitchen.

"I can’t believe I’m offering this after the meat feast, but who wants dessert?" Ryan gestures the platter of goodies.

"I’ll never turn down chocolate or Nutella." Selah gets up to grab a skewer and marshmallow.

"If I can stand, sure." She pushes off the sand, using Gil’s leg to prop herself up.

"Charred or not charred?" She waves a marshmallow in front of Gil.

"Charred, of course." He grins.

"Heathen," she teases and sticks the marshmallow directly into the flames. Pulling the flaming ball of goo out of the fire, she blows on it before handing the skewer to Gil. ‘Hold this, and no eating it."

Carefully grabbing a graham crack, she smears on a dollop of Nutella, and then places the charred marshmallow on top before adding another cracker.

She licks a big dollop of Nutella off the side, getting some of the warm chocolate on the corner of her mouth.

"Here." She hands him the sticky mess, noticing that Gil shifts his legs and squirms.

"You missed a spot." He gestures to her lips before biting the s’more.

Maggie licks her lips, trying to get off the Nutella. She glances at Gil, who closes his eyes and moans.

"Good?"

"Mmmm…. Hhmmmm… mmmmm" is all that comes out of him. Still with his eyes closed he reaches up to swipe off the Nutella from chin with his thumb. It’s Maggie’s turn to quietly moan as she watches him lick his thumb.

"Food porn as foreplay?" Quinn asks as he sticks his own marshmallow into the flames next to Maggie.

"What?" She asks, completely unaware of where she is.

"You have it so bad." Selah chimes in from behind her. "Move out of the way or toast another marshmallow." She bumps Maggie with her hip.

"More," Gil says, opening one eye as he pops the last of the s’more into his mouth.

"Best s’more ever?" Maggie asks, grabbing another marshmallow.

"Best ever." Gil winks. "More."

"Greedy." She chars another marshmallow.

The rest of the gang is likewise toasting and moaning over their creations.

"Where was this when I used to smoke pot?" Quinn asks.

"I’m grateful Nutella wasn’t around in college. I’d be as big as a house," Jo says, eating a perfectly toasted but not charred marshmallow.

Maggie hands Gil another s’more, which he snatches from her like a starving man.

"You okay there, big guy? Can I make one for myself now?"

Gil gives her a stink eye but nods his head, his mouth too full to respond verbally.

Maggie sits back down next to Gil with her own s’more. She takes a bite, closes her eyes and moans. She can’t help herself.

When she opens her eyes, she catches Gil licking the s’more right before biting it.

"What the hell?" She tries to save her s’more from his greedy mouth, but he is too quick.

"It was dripping and going to land on your shirt. I was trying to be a gentleman and protect your clothing."

Maggie stares at him.

"Not buying it?"

"No." She licks her lips where the melted marshmallow makes them sticky. She watches Gil staring at her lips.

"Can I help you with that?" He offers, his eyes flicking to her mouth, then back up to her eyes.

"I think I’ve got it."

"I’m not sure about that." He reaches out his index finger, swipes under her bottom lip, and shows her the chocolate.

Buy Links

Get it now! Geoducks are for Lovers is free for three days as a gift for all early readers!

﻿

Author Info

Before writing full time, Daisy Prescott worked in the world of art, auctions, antiques, and home decor. She earned her degree in Art History and endured a brief stint as a film theory graduate student. Baker, art educator, antiques dealer, blue ribbon pie maker, blogger, content wrangler, freelance writer, fangirl, gardener, wife, and pet mom are a few of the other titles she’s acquired over the years.

Born and raised in San Diego, Daisy and her husband (aka SO) currently live in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with their dog, Hubbell, and an imaginary house goat. Geoducks Are for Lovers is her debut novel. She is busy researching her second novel.

Thursday, 9 May 2013

Blurb

In small Texas towns, strangers come and go...

Left in a Stetson hat, on the steps of the local bed and breakfast, Avery Callimer came into the world on a wing and a prayer. Raised by loving adoptive parents, she's never lacked for love...only the knowledge of her past.

By day she works the Inn, but by night...Avery comes alive as lead singer in a band. Life was good...stable, until new guests blew into town.

Some strangers come with secrets and lies.

Lucas Bennett is one such stranger. Drifting from one mess to another has left him jaded. Doesn't matter the dramas are never his doing. Giving it one last shot to make a fresh start lands him Harmony's Echo, Texas and smack dab in front of the tantalizing Avery.

Despite his best efforts to ignore the burn Avery's ignited within, he's intent to keep his distance. Secrets have followed him. Secrets he doesn't want Avery to know.Each time they're near the other things heat up like a brushfire on a dry Texas prairie.But maybe, after the dust settles and the smoke clears, love can bloom with a fresh start.Add this book to your goodreads list!http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17341981-baby-stetson

BUY LINKS

AUTHOR BIO

Nikki Lynn Barrett lives in Arizona with her husband and son. She's an avid reader, a dreamer, and loves everything about books. She runs a book blog, an online used bookstore, and writes various genres of romance. Nikki can also be found outside with her camera when a storm is near, snapping photo after photo. Her dreams of becoming a writer started when she was young, when she started writing books in one subject notebooks by the fifth grade. The Secret Santa Wishing Well is her debut book. You can visit Nikki's site at: www.nikkilynnbarrett.blogspot.com for more information. She is working on her next book. Nikki would love to hear from readers. Email her at nikkilynnbarrett@yahoo.com

Guest Post

Full time mom? AND a writer?

Yes, it certainly can happen. Is it easy? Absolutely not.

I wear many hats. Not just as a mother, wife, and a writer. I'm also a blogger (Not just my author blog) I run an online bookstore, I partner with my mom on our jewelry business...and there's so much more.

Does that wear you out? Yeah, me too. There really aren't enough hours in the day. But, I have a lot of dreams and things I want to accomplish, so silly me, I try to take it all on.

Notice how I have no author picture? Do you think I REALLY want you to see the dark circles under my eyes? Uhh...no thank you :)

Honestly, I can't write while my son is home. At least, now when it's just him and I. He just turned four this past March, and if I could siphon even a quarter of his energy, I'd be set for weeks! This past August, my son qualified to go to a preschool. He's speech delayed, so we had speech therapy for him until his 3rd birthday and them come August, he started his school. He gets picked up at nine am and dropped off at 12: 20. It gives me a bit of a break and he gets to spend time around other kids and have lots of fun! (And he definitely does)

When I started out, I was writing three mornings a week. I managed to write a rough draft of The Secret Santa Wishing Well, my first book, in 6 weeks. It was only supposed to be a novella, but after revisions, it turned into a short novel. I made sure that every morning, instead of trying to get sleep or wasting my free time doing nothing, that I disciplined myself to write. When I finished Secret Santa, it was my first completed manuscript since 2004. It gave me the motivation that I could do whatever I wanted if I just put my mind to it. So, I stop writing at about 12:!5, get my son off the bus, feed him lunch and then we spend the next few hours together. We play, I work with him on his speech with various activities. My husband comes home at around four thirty, sometimes we'll have dinner right away, sometimes we don't.

I think what helps with being a full time mom and a writer is that my husband fully supports my writing. He reads my drafts, he edits, he does the formatting, and for Baby Stetson, he even did my cover. He's completely on board with it. So if my muse decides to say "LETS WRITE" he will take our son to the park or McDonald's for a few hours so they can eat and play, and I can write.

I also have sleep problems, so most nights after spending some time with my husband watching TV, playing a game, taking a walk, or whatever we chose, I'll wind up back in the library writing. Or, if I go to bed early enough, I get up when my husband does at 6:15 and write until I have to get my son up for school. It's all about time management, discipline and having support. Now that summer break is coming in about a month, I'm not quite sure how I'm going to manage....but it'll be another challenge to deal with.

Is it something everyone can do easily? Maybe, maybe not. Some things work for some, and for others, it's a whole different story. I'm fortunate to have a family that accepts my writer quirks and understands my need to listen to those fictional characters yelling in my head.

Thank you so much for listening to my rambles! I really appreciate this opportunity to be here!

Wednesday, 8 May 2013

Recently I've been working my way through my to-be-read list on my kindle, and I've been totally engrossed by so many talented author that I thought I better start writing some reviews. Today I'm delighted to be reviewing Master of the Inn by Ella Jade.

Blurb

﻿

Pleasure Inn… Where all of your fantasies become reality.

Executive chef Elyse Clapton has had it with city life.
She’s spent the last few years building her cheating ex-boyfriend’s trendy NYC
restaurant into a success. When their relationship ends, so does her desire to
be in his kitchen. She flees to a quaint inn she remembers visiting as a child.
She gets more than she bargains for when she meets the sexy, reclusive inn
keeper.

Handyman Logan Cole inherited Pleasure Inn against his
wishes. Ever since he got caught up in a scandal involving another man’s wife
he keeps to himself, finding solace in a bottle. He didn’t realize how lonely
he’d become until Elyse shows up on his porch. He’s instantly drawn to her and
convinces her to stay at the Bed and Breakfast.

Elyse comes to town looking for a getaway. She never expects
to fall for Logan. It doesn’t take her long to believe in the inn’s motto.
Logan’s dominance in the bedroom makes all of her fantasies a reality.

Book One in the Pleasure Inn Series

Review

Master of the Inn is the first in a series about a place
called Pleasure Inn (where all your fantasies become reality). Well, if the name isn’t enough to get you to want to visit
that place, let me tell you that its owner, Logan most certainly will!

The story begins with Elyse leaving New York after finding
her fiancé cheating on her. She heads to a place she can remember visiting as a
child with her family, a place she has fond memories of. When she arrives, she
finds it completely run down. Enter Logan, the hot new owner, who has been
given the Inn to try and give him some direction in life. He’s a little bit of
a recluse but you can tell he’s got a big heart. He’s just lost his way a
little bit and Elyse helps him find it. There is a lot of chemistry from the
word go. Logan is dominant in the bedroom and Elyse is happy to experiment with
being submissive, but even though the bedroom scenes are hot it isn’t the focus
of the whole story. The relationship between them is very open and honest. They
talk about how they are feeling, what they are comfortable with and go from
there. The sex is steamy but what I loved about this book was that I just felt
like the relationship was so real, they both help each other and support each
other, and reading how their love develops in this story sets a very good
foundation for the series. I can’t wait to read more about them in later books.

I loved this story and I could not put it down. If you’re
looking for a romance that has both a sweet and very sexy side then this is the
book for you! And if you can’t get enough of Pleasure Inn then don’t worry
because Indulging the Professor, the second book in the series, isn’t far
behind. It releases on May 10th!

Thursday, 2 May 2013

I have fellow Beachwalk babe Tamaria here today with her hot new release Southern Embrace. Take it away Tamaria!

Hello, and thank you for stopping by. I’m Tamaria Soana a contemporary romance author. My stories tend to be on the steamy side and always end with a happily ever after.

Southern Embrace my newest release was a very different story line for me to tackle. The story opens with Savannah my heroine trying to pick up the pieces of the broken heart her high school sweetheart Lance left her with when his family moves away the summer after graduation and he cuts her out of his life.

With some prompting for her best friend Nikki, Van (Savannah) goes out with the girls to a club and meets the handsome older Stephan. He sweeps her off her feet and she begins to heal. The stories over and they live happily ever after right? WRONG. The story is just beginning. In chapter 1 we learn that Stephan was killed in a car accident (I hated doing that). Savannah is twenty-three and the grief consumes her. Nikki her best friends steps in once again and arranges for Lance to run into her at the mall. Will Savannah give Lance a chance to explain and let him back into her life?

Southern Embrace is an emotional story about overcoming grief, forgiveness, and second chances.

I hope you’ll fall in love with Savannah and Lance as much as I have. Southern Embrace is from Savannah’s POV. I’m currently writing Southern Desire, the story from Lance’s POV.

Southern EmbraceCan a long lost love mend a grieving heart?

Widowed at twenty-three, Savannah Grant is devastated and consumed with grief, a grief that she can't seem to move past. When her high school sweetheart, Lance Peterson, re-enters her life, Savannah struggles with the feeling that she would be betraying her deceased husband by moving on. Plus, she can't forget the way Lance broke her heart all those years ago.

Lance never stopped loving Savannah. He wants a second chance, and he's willing to do anything it takes to convince her to give him one. Will she give in and let Lance love her, showing her a passion beyond anything she thought possible?

Excerpt

It was a beautiful Friday afternoon. Van grabbed her purse and headed out to the mall. Nikki's shower was the following weekend, and Nikki had been on her to get a new dress for days, threatening to drag her shopping kicking and screaming if she didn't go herself.

Once at the mall, Van picked up some last minute gifts for Nikki. After trying on a few dresses, she found a knee-length, strapless coral dress. She purchased it and was off in search of a pair of shoes. When she found the perfect pair of coral and silver heels, Van concluded the trip to the mall a complete success.

Her cellphone rang as she was leaving the shoe store. She dug around in her bag to find it. With her head down and her steps brisk, she ran right into someone.

"I'm so sorry. I'm such a klutz," she said as she looked up into the brown eyes of her first love. She gasped and took a step back, surveying him. His light brown hair was a little shorter and he was built like a man now, not the boy she used to know. She stood frozen in place, staring at him. This can't be happening. A tidal wave of emotions rushed through her at once. Anger, resentment, hatred, but mainly pain…so much pain.

"Van."

"Lance? Oh my God!" She took another step back. "How?"

"I-I talked to Nikki. She told me you would be here. I needed to see you. When I heard what happened…" He paused. "I knew I couldn't stay away any longer. I'm so sorry."

The more he talked, the more Van's anger flared. Who does he think he is? He left me! Turned his back on me when he cut all ties!

"What exactly are you sorry for, Lance? That my husband died or that you broke my heart all those years ago?" The words she spoke were full of acid. "You have a lot of nerve just showing up here like nothing ever happened. Go away." She turned to leave.

"Please, Van, just talk to me. Give me a chance to explain," he begged as he reached for her hand.

"Don't you dare touch me," she said through gritted teeth, yanking her hand away. "What do you want from me?" She stared at him while plotting all the ways she was going to torture Nikki for her betrayal.

She seethed as he looked around. "Calm down, Van. People are starting to stare. Please, can we go somewhere more private and talk? There is so much I need to tell you."

"What could you possibly have to say to me that would make up for what you did? I mean, I know you had to move, but you cut all ties with me. Like the three years we spent together meant nothing to you, like I meant nothing to you. Damn you, Lance, you didn't even try to make it work."

"Please, Savannah. Give me a chance to explain."

"Give me one reason why I should."

"Because I still love you. I. Never. Stopped. I cut all ties with you because I had to. Long distance relationships never work out. I was afraid you would wake up one day and resent me. Being apart from you was killing me. I thought this way we would both be able to move on. But I was wrong, I never was able to move on. I let the love I have for you consume me. I wanted to come back sooner, but then I heard you'd gotten married. When I found out what had happened, I wanted to rush here and be by your side, but I figured you would need some time."

His words shocked and confused her. After she took a few moments to process everything, she shook her head. "I can't do this." She turned and walked away, then stopped. "Go back to wherever it was you came from and leave me alone."

"I won't give up on you. I won't stop trying, and I most definitely won't ever leave you again."

"Just go away, Lance. You're good at that," she snarled before she walked away. She didn't dare turn around because looking at him as he begged her to give him a chance to explain would certainly weaken her. Van needed to focus on how she was going to kill her so-called best friend.

Watch the Trailer

Tamaria Soana is middle aged, but just feels her life has begun. She writes sexy contemporary romance stories that always end with a ‘happily ever after’. Growing up she loved to read and make up new places in her head to escape to. In her late teens she began writing short stories and poetry; it wasn’t until her late thirties before she began to spin a full story.

She’s married and a stay-at-home-mom of two beautiful young girls, they reside in Western New York. Cuddling up with a good book under an electric throw is her way to escape the cold Buffalo nights.

Besides writing, she co-owns Shades of Rose Marketing and hosts a talk show on Talkshoe called Live with Tamaria ~ Giving authors a voice.

Review

Thank you so much for stopping by Tamaria! Well I have read Southern Embrace and couldn't recommend it enough. Here's my thoughts on it.

When Savannah’s husband is killed in a car crash she is
widowed at just twenty three, and she is understandably completely broken. Even
though I’d read a lot of reviews warning me I’d cry, I honestly didn’t think it
would affect me the way it did. Within the first chapter I was reaching for the
tissues, and the scene where Savannah at her husband’s grave gave me
goosebumps. I was totally absorbed by the story, and I imagined that if I were
in her position, I would not have had the strength to go on. It was a page
turner from the start, since Tamaria managed to create such a strong character
right from the word go, and I just had to make sure that she found her happy
ever after. I was a bit dubious about Lance at the beginning, as the Savannah
herself surely was, but after a couple of chapters you can see that he doesn’t
want to replace her dead husband at all, but wants to help Savannah reach a
place where she can remember her husband, but also live her own life, and more
importantly enjoy it. I also loved the role that her friend played in the book,
because although Lance is Savannah’s hero, it is clear that her best friend
Nicki kept her going at the start.

This was a book I couldn’t put down, and even though it was
emotional, it was also extremely uplifting, and it’s a story that will stay
with me for a long time. If you haven’t read it yet, this is definitely one you
shouldn’t miss.

Wednesday, 1 May 2013

Today I'm very lucky to have Nicole Andrews Moore here with me doing a guest post, but first of all, lets find out a little about her hot new release Stormy Surrender!

Blurb

Sometimes the life you planned isn’t the one you get to live. Sometimes the pain of the past overshadows the future. And sometimes to start over you have to go back to where it all began. That’s how it was for Joe Masters. That’s how he ended up back in New Hope. And that’s why he was in his thirties and had nothing to show for his life. He needed a complete overhaul, just like his father’s old house. Instead of a fast track, he had slowed down and was on a ten year plan. These days that was more his speed. And as much as he tried to fight the inevitable, he was learning to accept and surrender.

Martha had weathered her fair share of storms in Vermont, was accustomed to the cold, both the chill in the air and the cold shoulder in her marriage, but after the miscarriage she felt like she would never get warm again. So she did the research from the laptop while sitting in front of the fireplace. She knew what she needed when she Googled hope, she just never imagined that it would bring her to New Hope, South Carolina. She never imagined that her husband would trick her into leaving and never follow. She never imagined that a southern storm with all its force and fury could be so destructive. But after the storm, the land is washed clean. It’s perfect for a fresh start, a clean slate, and a new love.

Author Info

Nicki has lived in Charlotte, North Carolina with her children for the past eleven years and her husband for the past three years. Her journey has barely begun and she loves every minute of it. Every day of her life seems to bring new adventures, some bigger, better, shinier and prettier than others. She's still getting used to that new life smell she's experiencing, a combination of hope, love, and happiness. (The perfect scents to build a new life on...)

For fun, she spends time with those she cares about, cooks, reads, writes, and especially lives to travel. The current travel goal: visit every Margaritaville. Two down! (Eleven to go?)

In addition to writing on Suddenly Single Journey, Nicki is a contributor for Project Underblog. Her writing can also be found on Shine, where she is a Shine Parenting Guru and an award winning Yahoo! Contributor on YourWisdom as the relationship and dating expert. And she has been published by McClatchy News in their syndicated papers.

Author Links

Guest post

What inspires the characters? Do you aspire to be like them or are they all a bit of you?

Like most writers, I can honestly say that every character I create is based on me, my personality and my life…or that of someone I know. In Stormy Surrender, I am Martha/Marti. I moved here from the Adirondacks. While I was considered reasonably stylish for that part of the world, I soon discovered that my style and pretty much every bit of me needed an update for Charlotte, North Carolina. It was good for me. I understood Marti from the moment I started writing this story. I have lost babies. I have yearned for love with the right man. I found love right under my nose in the neighbor five doors down. I always wanted to be the best possible version of myself, as long as I didn’t have to feel deprived of food. That’s part of what makes Marti the ideal me. She is also fierier than I am. She says things I only think; that I would never had the courage to say out loud.

Keely is loosely based on my former co-worker and neighbor. She is every bit the woman I portray her to be, super pleasant, a second mother to me, a woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind, but does it in the nicest possible way. She is filled with boundless energy and the perkiest personality you could ever hope to encounter. The same is true of Laurel. She is a neighbor. Not only is she a neighbor, but she is a neighbor that cooks and bakes and works in the food service industry. She feeds the body and the souls of those she encounters. And she isn’t afraid to speak her mind in her Long Island accent.

It’s no secret by now that my husband, Sam, inspires Joey. This was always supposed to be our story…somewhat fictionalized. I tried to capture his ruggedly handsome good looks. He really is a ginger. He has the temper that goes with it. He can be incredibly sweet, thoughtful, and considerate. He really did leave all the lights on in the house for me. He believes in making memories and souvenirs. He is funny and frustrating and we really do have that much chemistry, for better or worse. And I really couldn’t imagine sharing this life with anyone else. We live it big. We fight for our happy. It fits us just right.

The next installment of this series will be out soon, within the next couple of months. I have other writing commitments to complete in the meantime. Watch for the sequel of Hiding Out next month: Finally Found, filled with characters that come from my imagination, but I know just as well as I do all the rest.

Thank you very much for that Nicole! It's great to learn a bit more about you and your characters!